Imelda Staunton reinvents Mama Rose in ‘Gypsy’

IMELDA’S TURN: Imelda Staunton gives one of the freshest interpretations of Mama Rose ever in the London revival of ‘Gypsy.’ Photo: Johan Persson

GYPSY
Suggested by the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee
Book by Arthur Laurents
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Directed by Jonathan Kent
Choreographed by Stephen Mear
Through November 28, 2015
Savoy Theatre
Strand
London, United Kingdom
(0844 871 7674), www.gypsythemusical.uk

By David NouNou

Americans are very possessive of their national treasures, and Gypsy, the musical, is certainly one of them. I would definitely place it among the five greatest American musicals of all time. However, in the past 11 years, two Broadway revivals have been major disappointments: the first was a total flatliner, and the second was a maniacally one-note, manic, diva-driven vehicle. So when it was time for StageZine to select which shows to review in London, Gypsy was not a top priority. I must say that nothing could have prepared me for what I saw on the stage of the Savoy or Imelda Staunton as Mama Rose.

To begin with, the book by Arthur Laurents is tightly written (though at times now a bit creaky) but the music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim are immortal and second to none. From the first note of the overture, the music is intoxicating and prepares you for the roller coaster ride you are about to take. Starting with the new orchestrations by Nicholas Skilbeck and Tom Kelly to fit the range of the leading lady’s voice, they maintained the crispness of the score, and Jonathan Kent’s reimagined and redefined direction compresses the proceedings on the small Savoy stage not in a downscaled manner but in the shabby mode of the old vaudeville and burlesque style.

The story is simple: a stage mother (Rose) is trying to push her two young daughters, Baby June and Baby Louise, to stardom in vaudeville at a time when vaudeville was dying and the girls are growing up and still being passed off as young little girls. Ultimately time marches on, June runs off to elope and get away from Mama’s grip to become an actress, and Louise becomes the renowned stripper Gypsy Rose Lee.

Now for the best part of a review, when a critic shamelessly fawns over the leading lady and for good reason. Most Americans know Imelda Staunton for her Oscar-nominated role as the lead in Vera Drake and the two Harry Potter movies and would not seem an obvious choice as Mama Rose; after all, the role was originated by Ethel Merman, the legendary voice of Broadway. Just listen to the original recording of Gypsy and you’ll know why no actress dared play the part until 1974. That was the time when Angela Lansbury was coaxed to do the role. Ms. Lansbury was not a great singer but certainly gave a brilliant performance. Ms. Lansbury originated it in London and lucky for me she came to Broadway, where I got my first glimpse of this masterpiece. Subsequently many actresses have come to play the part: Tyne Daly, Linda Lavin, Bernadette Peters, Betty Buckley, Patti LuPone, and those are only the ones that I saw, but I can honestly say I have never encountered a force with the ferocity of Hurricane Imelda.

She is as ruthless as Medea, as delusional as Norma Desmond, as genteel, charming and emotionally fragile as Blanche DuBois. Being familiar with this musical, I was most interested to see how Ms. Staunton was going to make her first entrance. While the audience was watching the proceedings onstage, I had my head cocked to the right, watching her make her way down the dark aisle. While most Roses barrel in on their first entrance to make their presence felt as the force they are with the famous line “Sing out, Louise,”  not Imelda; she casually sashays down the aisle and firmly says those three immortal words while climbing onstage. At first I thought this was an odd choice for an entrance, but then it made sense; she unobtrusively enters to receive her due applause. And so begins this legendary performance for the ages. You see her building layer after layer with every scene and song. She is raw and vulnerable; she is coiled like a cobra ready to strike, and all wrapped up in a veil of desperation to succeed. As for her singing, no one expects Merman, but watch Ms. Staunton act the hell out of “Some People,” “Small World,” “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Together Wherever We Go,” and the finale “Rose’s Turn.” One is absolutely and orgasmically drained after that number.

As the grown up Louise, Lara Pulver bears an uncanny resemblance to a young Joan Crawford, is perfect in her early stages of awkwardness and being invisible and touching up to the point where Mama pushes her onstage to be a stripper. It’s at this point where she is not convincing in the maturation process and the emergence of the renowned stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. Her “Let Me Entertain You” montage of the cocoon opening into a butterfly is hampered in two ways; she is given the most hideous costumes to perform in, thus making the scene blah instead of sexy and exciting; and she lacks the oomph to bring any shading to character development as Gypsy Rose Lee.

Peter Davison is sweet, gentle and loving as Herbie, Rose’s ardent pursuer, but lacks the hard edge of an agent that Herbie needs to survive in show business.

One of the major highlights of the show’s reimagining are the three strippers in the “You Gotta Get a Gimmick” number. Usually performed by older but fit actresses, Mr. Kent made it more authentic, by showing the seediness of burlesque with women whose bodies have had hard times and seen better days. Kudos to Anita Louise Combe (Tessie Tura), Louise Gold (Mezeppa) and Julie LeGrand (Electra) for letting it all hang out.

I must confess that seeing Imelda Staunton as Mama Rose performing at the magnificent art deco Savoy Theatre was theatrical nirvana for me. For anyone who is planning to visit London and is going to the theatre, Gypsy is the show to catch. A truly “must see” show of the year.

AS RUTHLESS AS MEDEA & AS DELUSIONAL AS NORMA DESMOND: Imelda Staunton as Mama Rose in ‘Gypsy’. Photo: Johan Persson

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES: Lara Pulver (left) & Imelda Staunton in ‘Gypsy.’ Photo: Johan Persson

ONE OF AMERICA’S BEST MUSICALS REVIVED IN LONDON: Imelda Staunton (left) & Lara Pulver in ‘Gypsy.’ Photo: Johan Persson

‘LITTLE LAMB’: Lara Pulver in ‘Gypsy’. Photo: Johan Persson

GREATEST SHOW-BIZ STORY EVER ON THE STAGE: ‘Gypsy’ revival in London. Photo: Johan Persson

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published June 26, 2015
Reviewed at June 19, 2015 performance in London